Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation should provide Church with impetus on safeguarding

The review found that barrister John Smyth might have been brought to justice had the archbishop formally alerted authorities in 2013.

Mr Welby said: “When I was informed in 2013 and told that police had been notified, I believed wrongly that an appropriate resolution would follow.

“It is very clear that I must take personal and institutional responsibility for the long and retraumatising period between 2013 and 2024.”

His resignation is in the best interests of the church. The review’s findings had obviously turned up the pressure on Mr Welby. The fact that the Archbishop has accepted responsibility should be welcomed.

As Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, says Mr Welby’s resignation was “the right and honourable thing to do” having decided to “take his share of responsibility for the failures identified by the Makin Review”.

But at the same time, that should not be the end of it. Instead this should spur the church to establish a far more robust safeguarding regime.

The victims of John Smyth had been badly let down and they are the ones that should be at the forefront of people’s thoughts. And that is why Mr Welby's position had become untenable after one of the victims called for the Archbishop of Canterbury to resign.

While these are historic safeguarding failures, there should be no room for complacency.